23 Comments

With all due respect, I would rather send my money directly to a local LA group helping evacuees or animal rescues than buy a $100 tee shirt of which a small slice — the profits, not proceeds, as the website notes — go to the American Red Cross. As our family discovered with local blood drives the Red Cross holds in someone’s name, what they collect goes into their general coffers, not specifically to the local crisis or to local patients. Better to have all your money go to the place it’s needed.

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I'm certainly not suggesting that readers buy a cute T-shirt instead of making a more substantive donation to relief efforts. I'm sure a lot of you have already done the latter.

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Clare V is a Los Angeles based brand/designer who supports very worthy causes and keeps her production local to Los Angeles. I get what you’re saying but nothing would impede someone from getting the shirt and making a donation.

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I scrolled through the Natalie Martin site and found a few dresses and caftans in 100% cotton that are lovely. One may or may not be in my shopping cart as I type. I appreciate that some of her dresses have longer sleeves for those of us with wrinkly arms! And I have that silver baggu bag––it's pips!

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Hooray for longer sleeves!

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She also does silk caftans - I just got a fab red patterned one from the Real Real for under $200!

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My Quince cashmere hoodie lasted three years with heavy use, and the last year I put heart patches over the elbows to keep it going another season. I machine-washed the sucker, too, on my wool cycle, and just blocked it dry each time. I replaced it with a Gobi hoodie and I don't like the cut as much, it's boxier.

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Elbow patches. Impressed!

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Natalie Martin's stuff is great, and you can find pieces in great condition on many secondhand sites as well. I bought that Quince hoodie after my 20-year old LL Bean one in cashmere finally died. Just a head's up: I know all cashmere eventually pills, but mine is a mess after only three wears.

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Coming here to say the same about the Quince hoodie; I have J Crew’s also and it’s much better quality.

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Quince makes some good stuff (I have one of their silk maxi skirts and the shape and quality is aces), but their cashmere is just not good.

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Those Etienne shirts at J. Crew are magic. I have a half dozen and wear them constantly. Dress up or down, they never fail you. Heavy rotation w/ leggings and fun shoes. Meanwhile, I'm rushing to buy that LA t-shirt. We simply cannot do enough to support LA....so many friends there including several who have lost homes/everything.

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I’m also a huge fan of the Etienne shirts. I have the red striped one in my cart.

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I love rayon and it is not to be feared! I have a collection of Hawaiian shirts, some of them vintage, some men’s, and the best ones are rayon. Rayon washes well, drapes beautifully and is the coolest thing to wear in hot, steamy weather. So if you like the pretty rayon styles from Natalie Martin, don’t hesitate.

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Yes to the hippie-girl print and the J.Crew stripes.

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Hadn't heard of Natalie Martin before, but now I want a bunch of pieces from her site. And another vote for J Crew's Etienne shirts—they fit so well and seem really sturdy.

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I have several Natalie Martin pieces - silk shirt and dresses. They are a dream to wear and pack! I probably need more:)

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The COS vest is great! Such a versatile layering piece. I bought the darker grey one earlier in the season and liked it so much that I went back and got the one they did in a big argyle pattern a few weeks later.

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Thank you for posting the LA tee..an area the size of Manhattan is gone...

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Linking to the german COS website I think btw not US. Not sure if that was intentional but there is no easy jump to the US site for same product.

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That is so weird—the link is taking me to the American site. Anyone else having this problem?

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No, the link takes me to the US site as well.

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Kim France, I am your fan until the end, but the Red Cross is not a reputable charity. They pay their executives a ton of money, and distribute pennies for every dollar they receive. Better to give directly to orgs on the ground. Anything but the Red Cross.

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